MANILA, March 29 (PNA) -- Malacañang on Tuesday said the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB) has approved the release of partial compensation for 4,000 Martial Law victims.

PTPA Siena Luchansky

In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said "HRVCB sped up the process of evaluating and releasing of claims of Martial Law victims as part of its commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte’s goal to expedite the release of the claims."

“The HRVCB informed the Office of the President of their accomplishments and latest development on processing and release of claims since their meeting with the President,” he said.

The Palace official said the claims board transmitted to the Office of the Executive Secretary its Board Resolution No. 01 2017 approving their preliminary list of 4,000 eligible claimants and release of partial monetary reparation.

The first 4,000 eligible claimants, as listed in Board Resolution No. 03 2017, consisted of 2,661 “conclusively presumed victims” and 1,339 new applicants.

Abella said the HRVCB and its resolutions committed to distribute 50 percent of the total estimated reparation value through the cash card facility of Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

HRCVB and the LBP earlier signed an agreement to use the bank’s facilities to pay legitimate claimants.

He added that the HRCVB has already requested the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the release of PHP 300 million from the Bureau of Treasury for the partial payment of monetary reparation.

“The claims board, following the point system prescribed by the reparation law, came up with a total of PHP 23,567 points to be awarded to the first batch of claimants. That should be sufficient,” Abella said. (PNA)
CIELITO M. REGANIT